Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Don't leave out singles when making policies

Mar 05, 2013

BEING a single Singaporean, I am discriminated against by policies time and again.

Some years ago, when I wanted to buy an HDB flat from the open market, I was not able to do so as I was a few years short of 35 back then. When I reached that age, the price of even the smallest available flat had increased from $180,000 to $300,000.

[So? You are not discriminated against because you are single. That was a discrimination against you for being young! Enjoy it! Soon you will be discriminated against for being old.]

Staying with my family is not a long-term solution.

I have two options. First, I can rent a room, but this will take up a large portion of my salary. Second, I can find a stranger to buy a flat under the Joint Singles Scheme.

[Why must it be a stranger? You have no friends?]

I am sure many people would find these options unacceptable.

It is understandable that the Government has pro-family policies, but singles should not be left out when policies are formulated.

[This is the reality of life. If you give priority to one category, other categories, get shunted to the back. If the policy is pro-family, and pro-singles, and pro-youngsters, and pro-elderly, then who has priority?]

Though we have more political parties actively participating in the political scene, I have no illusions of seeing any change. The fact that single Singaporeans were never mentioned in any party manifesto does not go unnoticed. All political parties seem to share the opinion that there is no place for single Singaporeans in this country.

What have single Singaporeans done to deserve such treatment?

Sim Boon Peng

[Yes, you poor persecuted single, you. Life is sooooo unfair to you! The only way this letter could be more pathetic is if you wrote it on Valentine's day!

Yes. I agree. Singles don't get priority in public housing. Is this an issue? Yes. I think so. But in the grand scheme of things, which is more important? Housing a young family or housing a young man? If you're a single, young, SELFISH man, of course you will say, "housing a young man". Let the kids sleep in the streets. Singapore streets are quite safe. But apparently too dangerous for the single, young, selfish man.

This is (one of ) the kind of letters I pick to ridicule on this blog: selfish, self-centred, self-absorbed, concerned only about "me! me! me!" and what *I* want, and what *I* can't get, and how everybody should help *me* get what *I* want. And if they don't they are just selfish bastards!I love how he ends the letter with almost a plaintive cry. You can almost see the selfish tear roll down his cheek as he complains, "What have single Singaporeans done to deserve such treatment?"